Summer's Height

 The first Saturday in August, our family friend, Grantie, invited us to picnic with her at her favorite nearby Oregon state park, Wildwood near the base of Mt. Hood outside Portland.

 Under a huge  green canopy of leaves we stayed cool at Wildwood and wandered out in the sunshine when we wanted to warm up playing catch or soccer or just strolling about.

 Our little wildflower patch at home is featuring sunny golden flowers now.

 Our Sweet Pea vines are producing more seed pods than flowers now, and the Sun Gold cherry tomato plant [on the right] is giving us some sweet tomatoes.

 The preemie baby blanket I have been single crocheting with Deborah Norville Serenity  medium weight acrylic Baby yarn this summer is complete. I made an edging on the ends with Knit Picks gray acrylic yarn, 3 single crochet stitches in one stitch, slip stitch in the next stitch, repeat.

In the two years the ladies at our church have been making blankets they have made over 250 blankets.  It is a fun challenge to find patterns that are tight enough not to catch on the equipment needed to care for the NICU babies.  This is a photo of some of the last fifty blankets the ladies made.  The different colors and stitches inspire me!

 After "discovering" a nearby Japanese garden this past Spring I decided to try to visit the garden in each season and note the difference in colors of the plants.  These photos show more highlights of golden yellow at the height of Summer.

 There are touches of orangey reds here and there, too.

 And I love the different shapes and shadows I saw, too.

 Going out the Main Street Park from the Japanese Garden there is a sunny bank of Black Eyed Susans that I admired.

 At the height of Summer Mt. Hood often looks hazy, but I am thankful the haze is due more to heat than wildfires this year.

 From where I stopped to photograph Mt. Hood on 302nd Street, I saw this little tree sporting pretty Fall colors...a little ahead of schedule.

 One day recently I came home to discover a wonderful package from my dear blogging friend, Pat.  She spends part of the year living at her home in Turkey; and, thinking of photos of my tea table I sometimes show you, she decided to send me a set of Turkish Tea glasses with golden spoons to stir one's tea. She sent me two kinds of fruit teas, Pomegranate and Apple both of which are delicious.  She also sent the cobalt blue round glass piece that is hanging from my tea jar.  On the other side of it there is a teardrop shaped white shape on the blue with a little black round circle in the center.  When I Google imaged the piece I confirmed it is called by some the Eye of God. It reminded me of the blessing in Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Thanks again Pat for your lovely gifts to me.

 Then a few days ago I came home and discovered another package from my blogging friend who lives in Kuwait, Tammy.  She sent me a pretty moon with palms notecard, a crocheted white coaster and a bookmark from Bethlehem. Thanks again for your lovely gifts, Tammy.

Through the messages I have received I felt that love has traveled around the world to me even though I have not traveled far from home. Then this past Wednesday Teresa and I were thrilled to spot the transport of others who we hope are lovingly traveling around our part of the world on the Columbia River in the American Queen Steamboat.

 We also saw the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler we have enjoyed riding on and would love for you to be able to float in as well if you have not done so.

 When Teresa and I looked down at our feet where we were standing to take photos of the boats we had fun admiring the acorns that had fallen.

The mighty oak above us is releasing acorns at the height of Summer...seeds for growth in the seasons to come...

What is a highlight of the season of year you are in?

Gracie xx